SENATOR GOLDEN CALLS FOR YANKEES TO BRING TRIPLE A TEAM TO NEW YORK CITY FOR 2012

Brooklyn - State Senator Martin J. Golden today urged the New York Yankees and the International League to re-locate their Triple A Farm Team, the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees, to New York City for the 2012 season.

The Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees play in the International League (AAA), which is considered one-step below the Major Leagues. The team will be unable to play their home games in PNC Park, located in Moosic, PA, during 2012 as the stadium (which was opened in 1989) undergoes a $40 million renovation.

In a letter to New York Yankees President Randy Levine, which recently purchased the team from the Lackawana County Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority, the owner of PNC Park), and International League President Randy Mobley, Golden wrote that “Such a move will insure stability of the franchise’s operation, provide the team with a “ready-made” fan base, and create some unique marketing and promotion opportunities while giving local residents another form of affordable entertainment.”

Golden called the move a “win, win,” noting that “New York is at the center of the Yankee Universe.”

Golden continued, “What better place for the top Yankees Triple-A team to play that their Major League’s home team. Since Frontier Field in Rochester cannot host all seventy two games, why not have them play in New York City, where we have the accommodations for them to play out their 2012 season,” said Senator Golden.

Golden believes that this will create “affordable entertainment” and also provide a short-term positive impact on the economy. “Seventy more games in the New York City area” will create jobs and bring more economic activity to our five boroughs.